The wait is almost over for Midtown Phoenix. On October 9th, fourth-generation restaurateur Christopher Collins and Common Ground Culinary will officially open the doors to Cowboy Seafood at Park Central (3112 N. Central Ave), bringing a new “Surf & Smoke” dining experience to one of the city’s most established neighborhoods.
Created as a love letter to Collins’ own neighborhood, the 5,000-square-foot restaurant brings together serious barbecue, fresh seafood, creative cocktails and genuine hospitality, giving Midtown a new gathering place designed for everything from a casual lunch and after-work happy hour to a Friday night celebration.
MORE NEWS: Chuck E. Cheese kicks off new era in Chandler
The Space
Located at Park Central, Cowboy Seafood joins a growing dining and entertainment corridor at the center of a revitalized Midtown. Surrounded by new residential developments, a dual-branded Hilton and the growing Phoenix medical and university district, Park Central has become a hub of activity from morning through late night.
Cowboy Seafood was designed in collaboration with Plaza Companies, a local development company responsible for the Park Central development. The space blends the warmth of a Southern smokehouse with the relaxed energy of a coastal restaurant, creating an atmosphere that feels polished enough for a night out while remaining approachable enough to become part of the everyday neighborhood routine.
Cowboy Seafood features an 80-seat dining room, 22-seat island bar, 12-seat community table and 80-seat patio, giving guests a variety of ways to experience the restaurant, from a quick lunch or happy hour to a long dinner or larger gathering.
Photos provided by Cowboy Seafood.
The Food
At the heart of the concept is “Surf & Smoke,” pairing Southern BBQ Belt traditions with fresh coastal seafood.
“We wanted Cowboy Seafood to be the kind of place that works for whatever your day looks like,” says Collins. “You can come in for a drink and some oysters, grab lunch, bring the family in for dinner or celebrate something with friends. It’s meant to feel special, but never like you need a special occasion to come here.”
On the “Smoke” side of Cowboy Seafood, the Misfit BBQ Smoke Yard is built around a competition-grade J&R Manufacturing smoker and custom dual-spit Santa Maria grill, bringing serious live-fire cooking to Midtown. The barbecue program draws inspiration from the South’s BBQ Belt, with menu staples including pecan-smoked St. Louis ribs, whole hog smoked pork and prime brisket, with a trio of BBQ sauces. Guests can also order The Whole Truth, a combination of two meats, sausage, smoked wings, a bacon-cheddar drop biscuit and two sides.
The smoke program extends beyond traditional barbecue, with dishes such as honey-fire chicken wings, pecan-fired grilled artichokes, fried “Bama” ribs with Alabama white sauce, burnt ends mac ’n’ cheese and smoked jalapeño cheddar grits.
On the “Surf” side, Saltwater Saint Raw Bar brings a coastal counterpoint to the smokehouse. The menu features a daily rotating selection to prioritize freshness and quality. Current offerings include oysters with horseradish cocktail sauce and champagne mignonette, Old Bay shrimp cocktail, spicy tuna and blue crab California rolls, Salt Block sashimi and West Coast poke. Seafood platters bring together oysters, wild shrimp, scallops, Florida stone crab and Maine lobster for a more celebratory experience.
The broader seafood menu includes dishes such as Alaskan halibut with lemon-caper, blackened swordfish with compound butter, broiled Idaho trout with Parmesan crust, Faroe Island salmon with BBQ glaze, Cajun Texas redfish with remoulade and a rotating chef’s market catch. Scratch-made sides round out the menu, including bacon-cheddar drop biscuits, charred Brussels sprouts with candied bacon, pecan-fired asparagus and Cowboy Cheddar Mac.
The Drinks
The bar program brings its own take on the Cowboy Seafood experience, with cocktails inspired by the restaurant’s Western-meets-coastal personality. Highlights include Smoke on the Water, made with Casamigos Blanco, Verde Amarás Mezcal, grapefruit soda and smoked Hawaiian salt; Sweet Home Arizona, featuring Lalo Blanco, blood orange, lime and grapefruit; and Thunder Rolls, a pecan fat-washed rye cocktail with sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters and cherry. Frozen cocktails offer a more playful option, while the beverage menu also features Arizona craft beers and a range of wines spanning California, Arizona, Oregon and international selections.
Opening Now
Cowboy Seafood will officially open to the public October 9, 2026. The restaurant will offer lunch, dinner and daily happy hour, with weekend brunch planned for a future date.
Additional information on menus, reservations and upcoming happenings will be available through Cowboy Seafood’s website. www.cowboyseafoodaz.com.
